Everton boss David Moyes was last night keeping his cards close to his chest as Sevilla striker Alvaro Negredo emerged as a surprise candidate to replace failed transfer target Leroy Fer.

Moyes had hoped to secure the signing of Fer before the kick-off of Wednesday night's 2-1 win over West Brom but the deal collapsed after they tried to renegotiate payment of the £8.6million deal with FC Twente when the player's medical identified an issue with a knee problem.

While Moyes was downbeat about his chances of bringing anyone else in place of Fer, the Toffees are understood to be interested in Negredo.

The 27-year-old Spain international, who has been linked with Tottenham this month and could be available on a cut-price deal from his financially struggling club, is a more advanced player than Fer so would not be a direct replacement.

Against West Brom it was Leighton Baines who provided the fire power with two first-half goals, before substitute Shane Long pulled one back after the break.

Afterwards, Moyes expressed his disappointment the Fer deal had not come to fruition.

"He is not our player but it is right we look after the boy and it didn't work for the reasons it didn't work," said the Scot.

"The boy is a very good player and we wish him well bit on this occasion we just couldn't quite conclude the deal.

"There are lots of things connected to signing a player: it could be a contract, it could be the agent, it could be the clubs and medicals as well.

"On this occasion some of them didn't come together.

"It is very late now so I don't know if we will be doing anything."

Baggies counterpart Steve Clarke had planned to maintain his squad as it was but a potentially serious knee injury to George Thorne, who was carried off on a stretcher, could prompt a rethink.

"It was never in my plan to bring new faces in during this window, we wanted to keep the squad we've got," he said.

"As a result of George's injury we'll have an early-morning meeting and see what is best for the club.

"We only have today to do it."

The Baggies have already rejected two bids from QPR for Peter Odemwingie, absent from the squad after his newborn son left hospital this week, and Clarke remains optimistic he can hang on to the forward.

"I haven't spoken to anyone about Peter and as far as I know there were no more bids yesterday," he added.

"We expect him in for training today. It's the last day of the window and so any move in or out seems highly unlikely."

Everton's win, their first in three league matches, moved them to within a point of fourth-placed Tottenham although they made heavy weather of it in the second half.

"It was a bit harder than I would have liked it to have been in the end but I thought we were worthy to be in front, albeit we needed a second goal just before half-time to make it easier," said Moyes.

"We gave away a really poor goal but apart from that we had not done an awful lot wrong and I was pleased with the performance."

till I suppose it still gives him at least another year in the job. By the time it comes around , he can always make up another excuse. First it was 3 months , then a year .....Next year ? Whats his excuse with Van Persie ?